A Family - Stewart Island Wants You!

A Family - Stewart Island Wants You!

Still glowing in the wake of a very successful royal visit, Halfmoon Bay School on Stewart Island has moved to capitalise on their moment in the spotlight by placing an ad on TradeMe for a family with at least two primary-aged children to move to the island and boost the school roll, enabling it to keep its two full time teachers. A package of enticements including a free house for a month, ferry tickets, fishing and Ulva Island trips and even a feed of blue cod is being offered.

Prince Harry enjoyed a morning of songs, presentations and Q&A at the school last Monday 11 May and told the children how lucky he thought they were to live in such an amazing place and to attend a small school - Prince Harry told the children of classes he has visited that had 40, 50 even 60 pupils and how fortunate they were to be in a place “where the teachers know your name”. His advice to the kids: “suck up the fresh air.”

The harsh reality, however, is that Halfmoon Bay School will lose its second full time teacher due to Ministry rules on student/teacher ratios. Currently the school has 24 children but needs 26 to retain two teachers. While other schools are subject to the same ratios, Principal Kath Johnson says it’s the mixed age groups from years 1-8 that make this staffing ratio an unfair situation in rural schools.

“It is vastly different to have 25 children all of the same age and therefore requiring similar levels of learning to having 25 children aged between 5 and 13 all requiring different learning programmes. It really is too great an expectation for one teacher,” she said.

The second full time teacher at the school teaches the Junior class which includes five new entrants/year 1s at present. By reducing staffing, parents and the School Board of Trustees fear that the quality of schooling will suffer and have been looking at ways to entice families to the island.

And what quality of schooling - Halfmoon Bay School really punches above its weight and boasts an awesome profile. It received a great ERO report in 2013; students excel in science, social studies fairs, speech competitions and sports in Southland. Fantastic outdoor education programmes include the chance to bike, kayak, row, tramp and camp. The school puts on concerts and plays which are attended by the whole community. With music taught largely via Skype, the school band won the online rock band category at BandQuest 2013 and came second in the live category in Dunedin in 2014. The older children also use online learning networks to access subjects not able to be taught “live”, which Prince Harry was quite taken with after he sat in on a German class.

Mother of three and Board of Trustees Chairman Sue Graham says “We want our children to have the best education they possibly can and for us this means we need to retain our Junior Class teacher. Stewart Island is such an amazing place to bring up children and we are so lucky to have dedicated teachers passionate about their roles.”

The package advertised online includes one month of free accommodation and transfers from Bluff to the Island for a family with at least 2 primary school aged children to move here in July. Other cool stuff like dinner vouchers, local delicacies, gym membership, and Rakiura Great Walk track hut tickets will also be up for grabs to the successful family. Help will be given to find a house with introductions to potential employers and the Board is hopeful the month’s trial will eventuate in a family moving permanently to the island.

The advertisement can be viewed on TradeMe in Listing #888203724 and interested families can contact liveonstewartisland@gmail.com

ENDS

© Scoop Media